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Culture is not just a pithy quote but a reality that every good leader must acknowledge. Jim Rainey, the CEO of a huge agribusiness operation, turned his company around from losing tens of millions of dollars to being on solid financial footing within 18 months. He did not clean out the executive ranks or bring in his own team. Instead, he focused on the way people interacted with each other, the way they brainstormed together, the way they held each other accountable, and the way they celebrated each other’s success. He focused on that sometimes-nebulous thing called culture. Edgar Schein, the founder of the discipline of organizational behavior, said that the only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture. Mark Miller, a leader who has devoted his professional life to studying and managing culture, defines culture as the cumulative effect of what people see, hear, experience, and believe. He agrees with Peter Drucker who said that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Miller suggests that leaders remove their blinders and listen to early warning systems in their organization to stay grounded in reality. He also believes that a leader can change a culture quickly or at least make significant progress with just a few strategic decisions. He identifies three rules for creating a strong culture: aspire, amplify, and adapt. Aspiring leaders must share their hopes and dreams for their culture, amplify the cultural aspiration continuously, and adapt to constantly enhance their culture. According to Miller, culture is not soft but a powerful tool for driving performance. The jury is in: culture rules!
